Rodney King’s Death Ruled An Accident, Brought On By Drug & Alcohol Use

Rodney King’s death has been ruled an accident according to findings in a death report released Thursday (Aug. 23). The findings revealed that King was under the influence of several different substances which led to his death.“The effects of the drugs and alcohol, combined with [King’s preexisting hear condition] probably precipitated a cardiac arrhythmia and [King], thus incapacitated, was unable to save himself and drowned,” read the report.

At the time of his death, King had alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and PCP in his system. His naked body was found face down in the deep end of the pool at his home in Rialto, Calf.

One month earlier King was on tour promoting his book The Riot Within: My Journey From Rebellionto Redemption, and commemorating the 20-year anniversary of the L.A. Riots which were set off by the beating he received by LAPD officers.

King had a longstanding substance addiction, which he sought treatment for on the VH1 show Celebrity Rehab. Despite appearing to have overcome his addiction, the 47-year-old suffered a relapse and pleaded guilty to reckless driving stemming from a DUI arrest last July.

He was sentenced to 20-days house arrest and received three years of summary probation.